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ASB competition calls for savory, honey-laden products

ASB competition calls for savory, honey-laden products
GRAPHIC COLLAGE BY AVANT FOOD MEDIA
BY: Lily Cota

Lily Cota

INDIANAPOLIS — Back for another year of innovation, the American Society of Baking (ASB)’s 2027 Product Development Competition is now accepting applications.

This year’s theme, Beyond Sweet, challenges student teams to develop a savory bakery product that includes honey and has a notable fiber count. Teams will need to think beyond the formula as they balance flavor, sensory quality, processing performance, shelf life, scalability and market potential.

Judges will evaluate the potential success of the entries in today’s market, scalability, and technical problem-solving skills used in product development. Up to three finalist teams will present at BakingTECH 2027, set for February 21-24 in Atlanta and compete for awards of up to $20,000 in total.

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Product requirements:

  • Category: The product must be a savory bakery item rather than a sweet good.
  • Key Ingredient:The product must include honey as an ingredient, at a minimum of 7% of the total formulation. Teams should clearly identify the purpose of honey within the formulation and how it contributes to the finished product beyond flavor.
  • Fiber:The finished product must qualify as a “Good Source of Fiber” in accordance with current FDA nutrient content claim regulations. The proposal should clearly demonstrate how the product meets the required fiber and identify the primary fiber-contributing ingredients.
  • Base Ingredient(s): Products should be made using grain or alternative-grain flour. The product should start as dough or batter before being cooked into its final form.
  • Shelf Life:The product must have a minimum shelf life of 14 days.

In the era of increased artificial intelligence usage, the association is asking that participants do not use AI in any way to develop formulas or processes, write reports, or create or edit images or flow charts. The intention of the competition is for teams to showcase their creativity, baking knowledge and technical problem-solving skills.

Preliminary proposals will not be scored on the quality of package graphics or other advertising material. However, teams are encouraged to be creative and experiment with modern packaging technology.

Preliminary proposals are due Nov. 6. Competitors must be student teams consisting of between two and four full-time students composed of undergraduate and/or graduate students.

For more information on entrant rules and to submit a proposal, visit the ASB Product Development Competition website.

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